What happens if a freelance interpreter is sick? I suppose for things like colds they go to work because they don't have sick-pay and the condition is not serious, but what about if you sick for long time? Are there special insurance schemes for interpreters?

Arranging for some type of insurance to cover income losses in case of illness or accident is a must for any freelancer. There are several different insurance schemes offered by insurance companies in different countries. I personally find the insurance policy agreed by AIIC very good (cf. aiic Extranet). However, most affordable insurance schemes have quite a long qualifying period - often at least 2 weeks. So I fully agree with Angela that it is absolutely necessary to account for this risk in our cost calculation and to make sure that these costs are covered by our honoraria.

From the underwriting point of view, interpreters are too small a profession for any insurance carrier to design products specifically for them. In most countries, interpreters are assimilated to the self-employed. EU interpreting contracts contain sickness benefits but the qualifying period for benefit is three days. This means you have to be sick for at least four consecutive days, the first three at your own expense and the fourth day onwards you get sick pay. Contact the social insurance institution in your country of residence for more information.